Sins of the Fathers
by Nikkicub
Summary: Jackie and the gang are out to protect the children of old Dark Hand agents... and to figure out why Valmont is after them in the first place. You know the drill, there's bound to be magic and rearkicking, so use your heads!
1. Prologue--Dark Hand And Demon Girl

Requisite Disclaimer: As you know, I don't own Jackie Chan or his cartoon. If you weren't aware of this... you might need help. Especially if you thought I own Jackie. Anyway, with that said, I'm sure that Mr. Chan(who owns himself and prolly a good share of the show)won't sue me, since he's such a very nice man. I hope so, anyway.

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Prologue

The phone jangled, and Jackie yelped and fell out of the chair he'd been dozing in. He also instinctively grabbed for something to stop his fall, caught the phone cord, and pulled the phone and a few items that'd been near it off the desk and onto his head.

"Ow." Uncle's notebook. 

"Ow!" Jade's math book. 

"OW!" The phone itself. When it hit him the receiver came loose from the base and landed in his lap. He sat rubbing his new lumps and staring resentfully at the device, and after a moment he could hear an indistinct voice from it. 

"Jackie? Jackie, are you there? It's Captain Black." 

He scooped up receiver and base, opting to not get back into the chair. "Hello...."

"Are you all right? You sound kinda beat."

"I'm fine." There were two lumps, but he didn't seem to be bleeding; he decided the statement was truthful enough. "I was falling asleep. Actually it's a good thing you called before Uncle found me." He was supposed to be watching the shop. "I'm already a 'terrible salesman'. What's going on?" 

"Can you come to Section 13?"

Jackie glanced around. There was no sign of Uncle or Tohru, and Jade would be at school for another two hours(without her math book... he'd have to remember to remind her about such details in the mornings). Still, the shop was clear of customers, and Captain Black's tone implied that whatever was happening was important. He stood, setting the phone's base back on the desk.

"I'm sure Uncle will understand. I'll be there soon."

* * *

Valmont carefully resisted the urge to rap his fingers on the desk as he glared sternly at his enforcers--Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo. The four certainly didn't have a perfect track record, but before Chan had come into the picture Finn, Ratso, and Chow had been his best, and they certainly wouldn't suffer for having Hak Foo along. With any luck--and with a mission that didn't involve Chan and his friends--the effort to bring the group back together wouldn't be wasted.

"I trust you _can_ deal with a handful of children?"

Finn shuffled the photographs Valmont had given him. "They don't look so tough! So... how do we find these kids?"

"We know where four of them are." Valmont pushed a list of addresses toward them, and Chow scooped it up. "The other two you'll have to find the old fashioned way."

"Paris? Brussels? Hong Kong?" Chow frowned and glanced up, squinting through his glasses in the slightly dim light. "Geez... any chance one of 'em'll know where the mystery kids are?"

"I don't know. You're just going to have to find out, aren't you?" The four henchmen glanced uncertainly at each other as Valmont stood and headed for his private room. "Just get them--all of them--and bring them here." He stepped through the door, and all four enforcers groaned.

"Four all over the place, and the other two could be any place?" Ratso sighed heavily and headed out, and Finn, Chow, and Hak Foo slumped along after him. "At least this job is Chan-free...."

* * *

When Jackie arrived at Section 13 he found Captain Black waiting outside for him.

"I appreciate this, Jackie."

"Don't mention it. What's going on?"

"Look at these." Captain Black gave him a handful of photos, and Jackie peered at them.

"Kids? Who are they?"

"Sons and daughters of old Dark Hand agents, people who were there when Valmont's father was still in charge."

"So?" Jackie wrinkled his nose, hoping he wasn't expected to look after the six; Jade was trouble enough.

"So, the Dark Hand is after them. These six in particular. We don't know why... but we need help to get them back here, so we can protect them."

"Six kids...."

"Ranging in age from twelve to seventeen. Lily Royster, Gerard DuMontagnes, Michiru Fuyuno, Rin Hui Zheng, Jannes Stuyvesant, and Lisa Renwald." He pointed at each child as he recited his or her name.

"But two of these pictures are of six-year-olds!" He held up the photos of Lily Royster and Lisa Renwald with an indignant frown.

Captain Black smiled sheepishly. "That's because their parents' whereabouts are unknown, and have been for several years. Can you help? I was put back on Dark Hand just for this, but I don't have enough people."

Jackie sighed. He couldn't very well walk away from it, now that he knew what was involved and who was at risk. "All right." He handed Captain Black two of the photos. "You get these two. I'll get the other two."

"Then we'll figure out what to do about the missing two. With any luck Dark Hand doesn't know any more about them than we do. Thanks, Jackie."

"Don't mention it." He sighed again. "At least Jade will be happy to visit Hong Kong. And to drag me to Hong Kong AND Tokyo Moose Worlds."

* * *

It was slightly after midnight when the thief disabled the antique shop's alarm, picked the lock, and slipped inside. She shut the door silently and glanced around. There had to be something worth taking aside from the obvious(and easily missed)cash register contents. Something valuable, but hidden away and less obvious so that the owners wouldn't be so quick to notice. The thief slowly stepped deeper into the shop with a small shiver; something about the place was making her skin prickle. She pushed it aside with a mental shrug--it was probably only her imagination.

A faint glimmer from behind and to the left of a large case of books and vases caught her eye, so she moved cautiously toward it to investigate. As she reached the bookshelf the lights suddenly came on and someone behind her gasped; she spun and found herself face to waist with the largest human being she had ever seen. One of the inhabitants had shuffled out of his room for a midnight snack.

Tohru blinked down at the intruder who'd been unexpectedly revealed by the light. She looked very young, perhaps five years older than Jade, and seemed to be around Uncle's height, with long, very dark hair in a tight braid. She looked rather alarmed, but didn't seem to be particularly afraid of him.

"How did _you_ get in here?" The girl certainly didn't look like someone who could get through an alarm system as well as Uncle's unique brand of security... but it had been awhile since the spells had been updated, and there was the chance that no one had remembered to set the alarm. He knew he hadn't done it, at least. The girl started moving toward the door, preferring empty-handed retreat to being squished, and Tohru started moving to intercept her.

"Aiyaaaaaa...!"

They both froze and glanced up at Uncle, who was standing at the railing peering down at them. Tohru, who had expected the old man to appear once his spells were penetrated, recovered first and lunged for the girl, who leaped nimbly aside. He crashed noisily to the floor, but his long reach allowed him to seize her by the ankle. She fell with a small squeak and kicked him in the face; he reflexively released her and she bolted for the door. She only made it a few feet before slamming full force into Jackie when he jumped from the second level to land in front of her. Jade hopped down after him and landed less than a foot from the thief's midsection, and Uncle quickly followed via the stairs. The thief got slowly to her feet, glancing warily at the four and racking her brain for a plan of escape. Uncle stepped closer, pointing accusingly.

"Demon girl! How did you get by my spells?! Show me your burns!"

"Er... what? What spells?"

Jade plucked a long reddish hair from the older girl's sleeve. "Dragon hair... isn't this part of one of them?" 

The thief blinked at it, scratching her head. "Is that what th' tinglin' was...?"

This statement seemed to make Uncle even angrier. "Tingle? You walk through anti-thief spells and you _tingle_?! What kind of demon are you anyway?!"

She gave him a bewildered look. "I'm not--"

"Tohru! Fetch my books! I will hold the demon girl still until we find her proper spell!" Tohru looked at the girl a moment, then shrugged and went to do as he was told. What could it hurt?

"Will ye _listen_? I tell ye I'm not a...." She trailed off as Uncle began chanting. The spell had no real effect on her, of course, but she was tingling all over again and could feel her hair trying to stand up. She shifted uncomfortably, scratching at her arms.

Jackie frowned a little as he studied the girl; she looked terribly familiar. Her hair was black like his, Jade's, and Tohru's, but very glossy, with an unusual greenish sheen that under some light would give the impression that it actually _was _green. Her eyes were large and dark violet, and she had a snub nose and several freckles. 

"Excuse me... would you be...."

"Not a demon." She looked at him crossly. "Can ye shut Grampa over there up?"

"In a minute. Are you Lily Royster?" The look on her face was so shocked he knew he had to be right. "You are!"

"What d'ye want from me, then?"

"You! You... it's... you're... YOU!"

She stared him as if she'd decided the shop was run entirely by loonies(which she had). "Ah, well, I've never been anyone else...." 

"She's one of the kids Captain Black is trying to get to?" Jade squeaked excitedly. "Wow! A missing Dark Hand kid fell right in our laps! Talk about lucky coincidences...."

Lily bristled. "Dark Hand, nothin'! Ye'd do well ta...." She glanced at Uncle as he realized his spell wasn't working and stopped chanting.

"Hm." He put his chin in his hand and stared at her appraisingly, the way he might study a newfound antique. "Must be a veeeery powerful demon...." He squawked as Lily, who had decided she'd had quite enough, seized his shoulders and shook him.

"I'm NOT a demon, ye crazy old fart!!"

"She really isn't," Jackie added in his most calming tones. "She...."

Uncle thumped his 'demon' smartly in the forehead. "Do not yell at Uncle, Demon Girl! I know a demon when I see one! Look at her walk through my spells, look at those fangs!" He was halfway right; Lily _did_ have unusually long eyeteeth, although they hardly qualified as demonic fangs. "When I--"

She interrupted him by hitting back. "Ye stubborn rooster-man!"

Jackie blinked; he'd never seen anyone dare to return Uncle's thumps. The situation was beginning to get out of hand. "Listen! We're going to have to--"

"You impudent devil!" Thump.

"Senile old turkey!" Thump.

Jade decided Jackie could use some assistance. "Um, guys? Uncle? Listen, Lily kinda needs our help for a while, I think you two should--"

"Demon brat!" Thump.

"Second-rate hedge-wizard!" Thump.

"They aren't listening to us," Jackie mumbled, looking dejected. Tohru reappeared beside him and stood watching the scene in amazement.

"Crazy wench!" Thump.

"Screechin' monkey man!" Thump.

"I, uh, brought the spell books," Tohru rumbled uncertainly. No one was listening.

****

Nikki's Notes

And that's the prologue, folks. Not many notes or comments here... and I realize that Lily's appearance at the shop is really contrived, but there's a better explanation than blind luck. ^_^* I just can't tell you yet! Now you're just _dying_ to find out, right? Right? ....no? Well... stay tuned anyway... please...?


	2. Chapter One--An Ally And A Rival

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures. That's still Jackie's. Meanwhile, this plot, Lily, and the other Dark Hand kids are still mine. Enjoy!

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Chapter One

Thirty minutes later, the entire group, including Lily, was seated around the kitchen table with steaming cups of tea(with the exception of Jade, who preferred cherry Kool-Aid). Tohru and Jackie had ended the argument simply by seizing one combatant each--Tohru taking Uncle while Jackie took Lily--and carrying them into separate rooms, where they stayed until both were calmed down and Jackie had a chance to explain the Dark Hand situation to Lily. Currently the old antiques dealer and the young burglar were eyeing each other like alley cats who both wanted the same fish, and Tohru had planted his considerable bulk between them to prevent further altercations.

"So you see, Uncle, Lily here is one of the children I agreed to protect. As you know, she is one of the two missing children; it was pure luck that brought her here." Jackie leaned back in his chair as he finished, fervently hoping that the pair would at least pretend to make nice. Uncle sat back as well, folding his arms.

"How do we know it's luck? How do we know Demon Girl is not here to spy on us?"

Lily leaped from her seat and onto Tohru's back in a single jump, glowering down at Uncle as the chair crashed noisily to the floor. (Jade whistled softly, very much impressed, but no one paid her any attention.)

"Will ye _stop_ callin' me that?! An' I'll tell ye now, I've got _nothin_' t'do with _anythin_' a' m'dad's, so stow it!" She was outraged, but also looked and sounded genuinely hurt... enough so that Uncle felt rather bad, which annoyed him further.

"Well, what am I supposed to think?! Jackie learns about Dark Hand children. Two are missing. One missing Dark Hand child just happens to show up!"

"A point, maybe, but I'm here ta tell ye it's not that way!" She blinked as Tohru caught her by the back of her shirt and gently lowered her to the floor, momentarily interrupting the argument.

"Please do not jump on me."

"Er... right. Sorry." She turned back to Uncle, but by that time both Jade and Jackie had hurried around the table to stop them.

"Uncle, c'mon!" Jade planted herself in front of Uncle, arms crossed. "She tried to break in! Not a very good way to establish yourself as a mole, is it?"

"Jade is right." Jackie laid a hand on Lily's shoulder, gripping her gently but firmly on the off chance she decided to go after Uncle. She tensed for a few seconds and he got the impression that she might be surprisingly strong as well as agile, but he pushed the thought aside when she relaxed. "I do not think Lily means us any real harm... she only made an... interesting... choice in target."

"You make a good point." Uncle picked up his teacup, as if he hadn't been geared up for another battle with the teenaged thief. "But I do not like being robbed."

"Let's put that aside for a minute." Jackie released Lily and sat back down, and both Lily and Jade followed his example. "Lily. Your being in San Francisco _is _a pretty big coincidence... how did you get here, and why? You're... Irish? What brought you here? Why are you on your own and robbing people?"

"_Scotch_-Irish." She gave them a challenging look, as if expecting a comment on her heritage. When none came she settled down and continued. "M'dad brought me here after Mother died... with her gone he wanted t'get back into th'thick a' Dark Hand. He'd pretended t'drop out entirely, y'see, because she didn't like it, made all kind a' threats about it. I don't like it either, so I left, just cut an' run. Was two... no, _three_ years ago." She propped her chin in her hand with a slight shrug. "Dunno why he hasn't had his buddies after me b'fore now."

"I _do_ remember a 'missing immigrant' from around that time," Jackie replied, nodding slightly. "As for why he waited until now... three years ago the Dark Hand may have been already concentrating on Shendu and the Talismans. Tohru?" He looked to the former enforcer for confirmation, and Tohru nodded slightly.

"That _would_ be around the time Talisman research began."

"So... what do we do with Lily?" Jade asked. Jackie sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"We'll introduce her to Captain Black in the morning, before heading to Hong Kong."

Lily perked up at that. "Oh, good! I like Hong Kong, went there t'see Rin Hui once." She made a face. "Back when I was with m'dad."

"_You_ aren't going." Miraculously, Uncle stopped himself before calling her 'Demon Girl' again. She glanced at him in slight surprise, head tilted. 

"I am."

"You aren't!" If he could have reached past Tohru to get at her, he probably would have thumped her again. It was likely just as well that he couldn't.

"Oh, but I am." She nodded, looking quite sure of herself. "Those others Jackie mentioned, most of 'em're friends. Rin Hui was a penpal 'til I had t'worry about Dad findin' me. They'll trust _me_ faster'n _ye_."

"She may have a point, sensei." Tohru smiled a bit. "And as long as she has been living alone, we can assume she can handle herself at least as well as Jade."

Jackie, seeing that Uncle was ready for one last argument before returning to bed, quickly stepped in. "We'll see what Captain Black says tomorrow. For now, we need to get what rest we still can... Lily, you can share Jade's room."

* * *

"Well, if she really wants to go, I don't see any harm in it. It's probably better to have someone who knows the other five... and as for keeping her out of Valmont's hands, I know the four of you are better for the job than most." Captain Black offered Lily a friendly smile, and she beamed appreciatively back; it prevented her from giving Uncle a triumphant smirk. "Now Lily, we may need to contact you and have you talk to the ones we're going to get, the two in Europe. All right?"

"O' course! Thank ye, Captain."

"Not a problem. I'll see you all soon." The Captain and the three agents who were to accompany him walked away to board their plane, and were soon out of sight. Jackie, Jade, Uncle, Tohru, and Lily turned and headed for their own plane, with Uncle and Lily trading fresh insults. Tohru, Jade, and Jackie exchanged glances and sighed; if those two didn't knock it off soon, it could prove to be a very long trip.

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Nikki's Notes

All righty! Short chapter... I do not like cherry Kool-Aid, but it seemed somehow Jade-ish... anyway, next installment we switch over to Captain Black and his crew as they hit Belgium to retrieve Dark Hand Kid #2! Stay tuned!


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